Mechanism for assembling and distributing type-dies.



No. sso,'4|2. Patented Aug. a, |899.

- J. n. Romans. A l MEGHANISM FUR ASSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE DIES.

v (Application led Kaz'. 23, 1899.) (No Model.) I0 Sheets-Sheet 2.

wsTNEssEs: INVENTOR ATTORNEY Tn: nomas PETERS co wom-urne.. WASHINGTON.D. c.

No.- 630,4I2.' Patented Aug. 8, |899.

J. R. ROGERS. HECHANISM FUR SSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE-DIES.

` (Application med 2 3, w99 (No Model.) ID Sheets-Sheet 3.

wlmi-isses: INVENTOR TTORNEY vw: uonms sans co. mamufna.. wunlunfrorl.n. c.

No. 630,4!2. Patented Aug. 8, |899. J. B. ROGERS.

MEGHANISM FUR A-SSEMBLING AND DISTBIBUTING TYPE DIES.

(Application led Mar. 28, 1899.) V(NoModl.) I0 Shasta-Sheet 4,

WITNESSES: INVENTR` ifw 7M @WW BY @14ML ATTORN EY TME Nowms vrzssw,mow-umn.. WASHINGTON, nf:

No. 630,4I2. 4 lPatentlad Aug. 8, |899.

` J. R. RUGERS.

MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISTBIBUTING TYPE DIES.

. (Application led ller. B3, 1899.) (No Model.) IG Sheets-Sheet 5.

wnNEssES: INVENTOR iSv/@,157

morge me Nona-s crans nu. vncvaummwnmamm ng. c

' Patented Aug. 8, |899.

Nq. 630,4l2.

J. R. ROGERS. MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING T YPE DIES.

(Animation fusa may. 2s, 1899.1

I0 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

wlgESSES 2 No. 630,412. Pateted Aug. 8, |899. J. B. ROGERS.

MECHANISM FDH SSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE DIES.

(Application led Max. 23, 18'98.) (No Model.) I0 Sheets-Sheet 7.

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wnNssEs: INVENTOR BY @riff/9M@ ATTORNEY No. 630,4l2.

Patented Allg. 8, |899. J. R. ROGERS.

MEGHANISM FDH ASSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE DIES.

No Model.)

I vllll (Application led Mar. 28, 1899.)

I0 Sheets--Sheet 8.

ATTORNEYS.

No. 630,4I2. Patented Aug. 8, |899.

' J. R. ROGERS.

MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISTBIBUTING TYPE DIES.

(Application led Mar. 23, 1899.)

I Sheets-Sheet 9,

(No Model.)

No. 630,4l2. Patented Aug. 8, |899.

J. B. ROGERS. MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISTBIBUTING TYPE `DIES.

(Application led Mar. 23, 1899.)

(No Nadel.)

I0 Sheets-Sheet I0.

WITNESSES :V

INVENTOR ATTORNE mi Nonms Urns co Pnoroumo.. wnsmNnTos, n. c.

i UNITED STgryrlas4 'PATENT Orrrcs.

JOHN R. ROGERS, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MERGENTHALERLINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE-DIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,412, dated August8, 1899. Appunti@ siedi/.tach 23,1399; semina 710,197. (Nomade.)

To caf/ZZ whom it may concern/r p States No. 557,232, dated March 3l,1896. In Beitknown that I, JOHN R.ROGERs,'a citithis machine the diesare in the form of slenzen of the United States, residing in New derrods having the characters at their lower York, (Brooklym) infthe countyof lKings andl ends and having their upper ends fashioned 55 5 State ofNew Yorlghaveinventcd afnewfand into hooks by which they are suspendedfrom usefulImprovementinMechanismforAssemka series of wires or guides,each wire carrybling and Distributing Type-Dies, of lwhich ing diesbearing the same character. The the following is a specication. wiresbearing the groups of dies are widely There are now knownin the'zartvarious separated at their upper ends, but extend 6o ro machines inwhich a series of dies, each repdownward in converging lines and finallyresenting a letter or other character, are held terminate at their lowerends in two vertical in storage, finger-keys or equivalent devices.`tiers `or rows, so that the dies when released being employed to selectthe dies and assem-Q will descend by gravity on the several wires blethem temporarily in justified lines, each 1and aline themselves side byside between 65 t 5 line representing the characters for one liner thelower parallel ends of the wires. The of print in the order andarrangement `i`ni distribution of the dies after use was eected whichthey are to appear. Inone` class of by canting or tilting backward theframe in these machines the dies are of the female or` which the wireswere supported, thereby reder, or, in other Words, are matrices, and theversing their inclination, so that the dies 7o zo composed line of diesis applied directly tot would run back on their respective wires,

close the face of a slotted mold, in which a Aseparating from eachother, to the storagetype-metal slug is cast against the series of`pointfrom which they were released. matrices or dies, which operatedirectly tol The primaryobject ofthe present invenproduce the charactersin relief on the slug, tionf is to overcome the delays and objections 75z5 after which the dies are distributed to the fincide'nt to the oldAmode of distribution and magazine or place of storage, from which theyto provide a machine in which the dies shall are redelivered andassembled in new arabe carried by endless guides or ways, so thatrangements for successive lines of print. In ,they may travel aroundValways in one direcanother class of these machines, commonly tion, thusallowing each die,'while remaining 8o 3o known as matrix-machines, diesof the perpetually in'engagement with its guide or male order areemployed and the composed way, vto ltravel from the storage-point to theline of dies impressedintolead,papiermach, assemblage -point, and thencebackward or equivalent material to form a matrix, through a continuingpath to the point from which is used in connection with a mold to whichit started. To this end I provide a 85 3 5 reproduce the characters inrelief on the edge number of endless guides equal in number to of atype-metal slug cast in the mold, the dies the charactersV representedin the machine being thereafter distributed, preparatory to andeachintended to sustain a group of pendtheir selection and reassemblagein their ent dies bearing the same letter or character.

order. "Midway of their length, at the points where 9o 4o My inventionis applicable alike to mathe dies are held at rest thereon byescapechines of the two classes named. ment devices connected withfinger keys,

The invention has to do solely with the these guides are spread orseparated horizonmeans for assembling and distributing the tally inorder to permit the groups of dies to dies, without reference to thecasting or inhang between them. From this point they 95 45 dentingmechanisms which are to cooperate are carried downward inconverginglines nnwith the dies. f til they nally terminate in parallelportions The invention maybe considered more paroverlying each other intwo vertical tiers, so ticularly as an improvement on a machine that thedies may be assembled in line beheretofore invented by me, commonlyknown tween them, as in my previous machine. At roo 5o in the market asthe Typograph and repthis point, however, the resemblance to theresented in Letters Patent of the United original machine ceases, and Inow continue continued downward i-n diverging lines tol` on `thecorrespondiugly-numbered line of the preceding figure, showing themanner in which the ways or guides are sustained. Figs. 9 and 10are-cross-sections on the line 9 9 of Figs. 6 and 7, illustrating themanner i in which the dies are held `by the escapement and released bvits rotation. Fig. 11 is a verthe points at which the dies are held instorage, this divergence being for the purpose of separating ordistributing the dies, which jointheir respective groups at the rear. gThis arrangement of continuous guides converging from the middle towardthe vfront for .pur-

poses of assemblage or composition and di- Verging from the rear towardthe middle for purposes of distribution enables me to construct a verysimple ymachine in which the assemblageor composition of one line ofdies may be carried on concurrently with the distri-bution of the diesforming the preceding line. I prefer to use as guides tubes of rectanigular form having in one side a slot through which suitably-formed hookson the upper ends 'of the'dies will be engaged, but the'sectional formof these guides is not of the essence of my invention.

For the purpose of Vcarrying the line of dies lfrom the point ofassemblage upward to the y point where distribution occurs yI propose touse anendles's chain suitably guided 'and carrying a fingerwhi'chs'weeps the dies before it; but any equivalent carrierv'may beem-` ployed.

In the resented such parts only as are necessary to l an understandingof my invention.

Figure l isaJ front elevation of' my mechanism, a number 'of thefinger-keys 'and the escapements connected therewith being-omitright andthe other lon the left, showing the ted in `order to expose others toview. Fig. 2 is 'a plan view looking `down obliquely on the top of themachine with the keyboard omitted to expose other parts to view. 3 is aside view of the machine looking from the right, as indicated by thearrow' manner in wh ich they are extended rearward in parallel lines inorder to guide Vthe dies between them toward the point of distribution,the ldies traveling always in the direction indicated by the arrowsthereon. Fig.

46 is a vertical cross-section on the correspondingly-numbered line ofFigs. 1, 2, and 7, showing more particularly the manner in which theguides Aflivei'ge and converge vand the relation of the escapements ordie-releasing de' vices thereto. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section onlthe correspondingly-numbered line of Figs. 1, 2, and '(5, showing on anenlarged v scale one of the'es'capements for releasing the dies one at atime. Fig. S is a cross-section Fig.

tical cross-,section through a number of the guides or ways, showingtheir arrangement at different levels between the storage-point and theassembling-point. Fig. 12 is a top plan view showing thedistributer-chain, its t'l'nger.,and the guides around which it travels.Fig. 13 is a side View of the same, together with the guide-rail for thefinger, and Fig. 14 is a cross-section on the correspondingly-numberedline of the twopreceding igures. Fig. 15 is a vertical longitudinalsection von the correspondinglynumbered line of Figs. 1, 2,

.and 5, between the rearwardly-extending portions of the two series ofguides, showingthe manner in whichthe dies are carried rearward and upward between them by the distributinglinger. Fig. 1'6 is a verticallcross-section on the correspondingly-numberedline-of Fig. 15,

` illustrating the manner in which the 'dies-are suspended between 'thetwo tiers or series of rearwardly-extending guides in their coursetoward the point of distribution. Fig. 17 is a longitudinal verticalsection on the line 17 17, Fig. 1, looking toward the right.

As the 'first step in the construction of my v machine I provide aseriesk of dies A A, (see 4accompanying drawings I have repi Figs. 6,1l, 15, 16, &c.,) each consisting ofa `shank Vor stem having'a'characteror letter in or upon its lowerend, as heretofore, and having at theAupper end a laterally-extending hook or shank a to engage with `thesupporting-guides. As in my previous machines, the dies bearingdifferent vcharacters will be made y of different lengths, so thatalthough 'suspended from guides at diiferent heights or levels theirlower ends will aline at a common level.

As the second step in the construction of the machine I provide theseries of endless looking from the left side of the machine, i

guides B, such as shown in Figs. 5, G, 7, 8, 1], &c., equal in numbei`to the keys in 'the keyboard. In the preferred form these guides consisteach o'f a square tube of brass, steel, or other suitable material,having a slot or opening cut in one of its vertical sides to admit theshank of a die, so that the latter may hang suspended therefrom. Eachguide is made in one continuous or unbroken length andthe slot extendedthroughout its length, so that the suspended dies may travel around andaround in one direction the entire length o'i' the guide. I mount theseguides rigidly ina framework C, which may be of any'suitable form andconstruction adapted to sustain them. All of the guides are inclineddownward from the rear of the machine toward the front, so that the diestend when released to descend by gravity to the front. In the body of amachine the guides are arranged, as shown in Fig. 5, to convergedownward and upward IOO IIO

from a point midway vof their length, where the groups of dies areordinarily held at rest and which I therefore term the storagepoint. Theguides are deiiected to the right and left of the central line in pairs,as shown in Fig. 5, in order to leave between them an open space inwhich the dies hang suspended. Beginning at the middle of the machinethe guides to the right and left stand at successively lower levels atthe storage point, (shown by cross-section in Figs. 6 and 11,) and thisin order that the dies on the successive guidcs may hang freely from theguides without interference with each other. From the storage-point theguides, extending downward and forward, converge toward the middle line,and at the lower ends they assume parallel positions, those on the rightbeing brought together in a vertical tier one on top of another, whilethose on the left are arranged in like manner, thus leaving between thelower ends of the two series a vertical slot or space in which the diesare assembled, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. From this pointthe guides are carried to the right and then extended upward andrearward and again carried to the left until they reach the rear end ofthe machine, when they are returned in curved lines toward the front andthen carried downward and forward in diverging lines to thestorage-point or point of beginning.

It will be observed that the guides extending rearward from the point ofassemblage are arranged in two vertical tiers, leaving between them acontinuous vertical opening or slot, through which the composed line ofdies may be conveniently guided and carried backward. This composed linemay consist of dies some of which are suspended from the left-handguides and others from the righthand guides, as sho-wn in Fig. 15; butthis fact does not in the least interfere with their travel rearward andupward between the guides.

Adjacent to each guide at the storage-point I mount on the main frame anescapement device D,which may be of any form and construction adapted torelease one die at a time in order that it may pass down the guide tothe assemblage-point. In the form shown the escapement consists of avertical spindle the lower end of which is grooved on one side, as shownin Figs. 7, 9, and 10, so that when it is given a rotary oscillation itwill receive the upper end of the forward die in the group on the guide,as shown in Fig. l0, and carry the same forward, allowing it to passfreely down the guide, while holding the remainder of the group incheck. Each of these escapements is surrounded, as shown in Fig. 7, by aheli-` cal spring E, which tends to hold it in its normal position ofrest. At the upper end the eseapement is provided with a crank-arm F,from which a wire G is extended to the keyboard and there connected to alinger-key H, as shown in Fig. 1.

There is an escapement and finger-key connection for each of the guides.In composing a line the keys representing the desired characters areoperated in proper sequence. Each key actuates the correspondingescapement, thereby allowing the die bearing the selected character todescend its guide to the assemblage-point. In this way the line iscomposed, essentially as in my earlier machine, between the lower endsof the guides.

In order to effect the distribution of the line of dies, it must becarried bodily upward along the rearwardly-extending portion of theguides until it reaches the rear end of the machine, from which pointthe dies will descend by gravity down the diverging guides to the rearends of the groups thereon at the place of storage. For the purpose ofthus transferring theline I make use of a distribut ing-linger J, (seeFigs. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16,) carried by an endless chain K, which isextended around the three guide-wheels L, M, and N, suitablymounted inthe frame. These wheels are located, it will be observed, at the `frontand rear ends of the machine and at the eXtreme right midway of itslength, so that the chain is caused to carry the nger downward along thecenter line of the machine between the right and left guides and againstthe rear end of the composed line and thence downward, upward to theright between the parallel guides until the rear end of the machine isreached. As an additional means of guiding the linger I propose to fixrigidly to the frame an endless guide-rail O, (see Figs. 1, 2, 13, 14,15, and 16,) overlying the chain and grooved in its side to receiveantifriction-rollers P on the upper forked end of the finger whichstraddles the rail, as shown in the several figures. It will be observedthat in this manner the distributer-iinger is caused to pursue acirculatory course,traveling centrally to the front through the machine,behind the composed line, and then sweeping the line rearward and upwardbefore it, and finally advancing again centrally behind Iche next'line.It will be observed that the divergence of the guides from the rear endforward carries the dies to the right and left out of the path of thefinger, which will be held at rest until t-he next line is composedbefore it on the lower ends of the guides.

The essence of the invention lies in the continuity of the guidescarrying the dies, so that they may pursue a circulatory course throughthe machine, each die pursuing one path from the storage-point to thepoint of assemblage and a different path in its'return to the point ofstorage.

My invention includes guides ot' any form in cross-section adapted tosustain the dies and arranged in any relation to each other, providedthey converge to one point for purposes of assemblage and diverge fromanother point for purposes of distribution.

VVhle the number of characters employed in the machine is usually sogreat as to demand IOO IIO

l fone direction, being returned. to .said poi-nit.

the use of ftwo series of guides diverging to the right andleft of themedian line, it is evirearward ion oneside of `the machine in parallellines, it is manifest that the guides on site side,'asindicated bydotted'lines in Fig. 5, but 'thisfarrangementisnot recommended, as 'itnecessitates theem-ployment of two distribnter ingers or carriers.

While I prefer to make use Vof Ian endlesslf chain and finger asa meansof transferring the dies to the rear, it is tobe understood that anyother device which will cause the proper travel of `thedies along theguides is to'befconsideredthe mechanicalequivalent of the con-fstruction shown.

dies.

.plicity and lcheapness .resulting therefrom, to arrange 'the guides 'inau inclined position yso that the dies will descend `bysgravity during'the distribution .and composition, it is manifest that many of theadvantages attending the nseof :the continuous or endless yguides can belretained when :the'guides area-rranged in a horizontal position. ever,it willfof :course :be necessary to provide .means for advancing lchedies alongthe guides during the-course of composition fand distribution.

By theexpression continuous :guide -as herein employed is meantaguide-over which the dies may travel from `any given point in In suchcase, how? dies and converging throughanot-her portion v'of their lengthto assemble the dies inline.

4. .Aseries of Vendless inclined die-sustain ing guides converging inopposite 'directions from the storage-point in combination withescapement dev i'ces torelease Vthe fdiesone at a time, for assemblagein a common line, and

i means for advancing the assembled line upeach side maybe carriedrearward onthe same side and independently of those'on the oppowardalong the g.uides, preparatoryato their distribution thereby.

`5. .A series'of endless :inclined guides-separated in oblique linesthrough a portion of their length and brought together .in "parallel:lines forthe remainderrof vtheirflengthin combin ation with-diessuspended therefrom and Iarr-an ged to -slide downward toanassemblin gpointby gravity, escapements to hold `the dies at rest andrelease themone 'aft a time Ifor assemblage, and means forcontinuingthemove'- ment from the assembling-point along the y vguidesto their upper ends. The word dies isused hereinin a generic g sense asincluding both lcameo `and intaglio,

v6. Aseries'of incl-ined'die-sustainingguides diverging laterally from`their upper ends to y distribute .theidies, converging 'again towardWhile it Vvis preferred, because of ythe sim- .their lower Aends toaline the released dies fa-nd'con'tin ued -upward at onesideto Vthepoint ofzbeginningz whereby theguidesare adapted to assemble thedifferentdies in a vcommon fline, carry theassemebled line yto ltherear, and then Adistri-bute the dies on their respective guides tothestorage-points from which they started.

'7. A series'of endless guides and type-dies :arrangedto travel thereonalways in the same ldi-rection.,.said guides convergingatone pointtoassemble 4theirdies in line and divergi-ng at 'another ,point todistribute -orLseparate the a'lined dies.

8. The inclined'endless .guides converging Vanddiverging for a Lportionof their .length vand parallel for theremainder of their-len ,rth

l. :In amechanism for assembling and dis- `tributing type-dies, anendless guide anddies lsustained thereby and arranged to travel thereon.

,2. In amechanism forassembling and distributin g type-dies, a series ofendless :guides iii-combination with type-dies suspended therefrom, andalcarrier to advance the dies alongthe ,guides from vthe place Yofconvergence to theplace of divergence.

v9. YIn a .mechanism for assem-.blingand distributing type-dies, theendless guides in- -clined vdownward yandi'orward in-diverging u-pwardin two vertical tiers in combination with the .type-.dies suspendedtherefrom, es-

'capements to control the descent of -thevdies, `and a carrier-.fingerarranged to ad-vance be- .hind the Aassembled l-ine and :carry vthe-same upward between the tiers of guides.

10. .In combination with the inclined endless guides and dies thereonescapements to vor Ways on which the dies are .stored and around whichthey travel for assemblageand I distribution,substantially as describedand shown..

3. "In a mechanism forassembling and vdis-f tributing dies,.a series ofendless die-sustaining guides vdiverging through a portion .ofy

their length to eliect the distribution of the control the advance ofthe dies, an endless chain provided with acarrier-nger, substantiallyasdescribed and shown.

11. rlhe endless guides, thedies thereon, -the escapements, .the endlesschain, i-ts finger and the guide-rail for the'inger, constructedandcombined, substantially as shown.

12. Inza mechanism for assemblingand distributing type-dies, a guideconsisting of a longitudinally-slotted tube in combination andfconverging lines, and then rearward and IIO With a die having a shankor head to enter In testimony whereof I hereunto set lny 1 the slot andengage Within the tube. hand,this 21st day of March, 1899, in the :o

13. In a mechanism for assembling and dispresence of two attestingwitnesses. tributing type-dies, a series of fixed guides JOHN R ROGERS 5arranged in a vertical tier, each guide oonsisting of a rectangular tubelongitudinally In presence ofslotted in one side to receive the shank ofM. E. RESEK, the die. A. M. BERRY.

